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Everton should let duo leave, says Moyes

David Moyes has called on Everton to allow Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines to leave the club in order to further their careers.

The Manchester United manager - who left Goodison Park to take the reins at the Premier League champions in the close-season - last week sanctioned a joint bid of £28million for his former players as he looks to strengthen his squad at Old Trafford.

This offer was dismissed out of hand by Everton, who described it as "derisory and insulting", while Moyes' successor Roberto Martinez accused United of lacking "common sense" in their pursuit of Fellaini and Baines.

However, Moyes has insisted that while he has some sympathy with Martinez's situation, he would not have prevented his star performers from departing in his time in charge at Goodison Park if he felt this was in their best interests.

"I definitely do (sympathise with Martinez) but I also know that if I'd been Everton manager and Sir Alex (Ferguson, ex-United manager) had come asking for Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini, I'd have found it very difficult to keep them because I always felt the right thing to do was what was right for the players," the Scot said.

Moyes went on to explain that even though he considers Everton a "great club" that he "respects greatly" after spending 11 years in charge at Goodison Park, he is now fully focused on the task in hand in his new role.

"All we can do is do our job here. Roberto is in a new job and I'm sure he'll get to understand how Everton work. I know exactly how Everton work. I think I've signed every player at Everton. I know exactly how they work," he stated.

The 50-year-old was also questioned on the fitness of unsettled striker Wayne Rooney, and revealed that the England man is likely to feature against the club trying to prise him away from Old Trafford in the Premier League on Monday.

"He's got a good chance of playing against Chelsea - a good chance of starting," said Moyes.